Quick Change
by Sharinganblossom
Summary: Rikku is playing with her dresspheres and Gippal feels the need to strangle Shinra.
1. Thief

**Title: **Quick Change

**Inspiration: **Just tons of Rippal stories.

**Pairing: **Rikku and Gippal

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything...because if I owned Gippal, his fate would not be pretty.

**Summary: **Rikku is playing with her dresspheres and Gippal feels the need to strangle Shinra.

XXX

"Rikku, you _ cannot _wear that around here all the time."

Rikku puffed out her cheeks in annoyance and glared at Gippal, placing her hands on her hips, spreading her legs, and leaning in towards him in what she called her menacing-pose-of-death. Gippal found it to be more of an invitation to look down her barely-there top. Seriously, who gave her permission to run around in a _bikini_ and a belt that was imitating what she called a skirt?

He suddenly wondered if Brother had actually suffered some sort of dire injury on one of The Gullwings' escapades, because the Brother _he _knew, wouldn't even let Rikku out of the house in _sandals _because he thought that her cute toes would attract some kind of unwanted attention.

...Okay, so the cute toes part was something that Gippal interjected. But they _were _cute, and they were especially ticklish. Like that time when they were on his couch watching a movie and he—

"You're not the boss of me! I can wear whatever I want!"

Right, he was arguing with her.

Gippal folded his arms in his I'm-in-charge-so-obey-me sort of fashion. "Actually, I _am_ the boss of you, since you are now commissioned to Djose, and your old man was _pretty damn specific_ about me watching out for you." Cid actually threatened to mount his head on his office wall and bury his body so far in the ground that coffee would pity him. And Gippal believed every word of it.

Regardless, Rikku was...uhm..._special_ to him and he never had any intentions of letting anything bad happen to her in the first place. Plus he was thinking about shooting several of his male workers for leaning _a little bit too far _over their machines and staring at her back (butt) as she left the workshop.

"Okay," Rikku said whilst rolling her big green Al Bhed eyes, "You're the boss _of my work_ here. NOT my fashion choices."

"There has to be cloth present to call your clothes _a fashion choice_."

Rikku turned red, from embarrassment or anger he didn't know. "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY OUTFIT YOU POOPHEAD!"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Poophead? Really?"

"...It sounds stupid when you say it!"

"It sounded stupid when _you _said it."

She threw her hands up in the air in frustration before turning her back on him and stomping off in the direction of the workshop. He followed after her, easily keeping pace.

"And your clothes are affecting work. Not your work, but the work of others around you."

She stopped and looked up at him with the most innocent expression on her face. Which kind of pissed him off. Was she really so _naive_?

"What do you mean? No one seems to have a problem with my outfit except for you."

He gritted his teeth. "The male workers specifically are _distracted _by your..._outfit_."

She tilted her head, seeming even more confused than before. Gippal wanted to pull out his hair in frustration.

"YOU'RE BARELY WEARING ANY CLOTHES OVER YOUR HOT BODY!" He yelled.

Everyone in Djose seemed to freeze and stare at the two of them. He froze, hands in the air and mouth half open. Her eyes were wide...then the most evil expression came onto her pretty face.

"So...you think I'm hot?"

He had to resist slapping his forehead in indignation. He turned briefly to glare at his employees and they automatically returned to their work (though not without a new piece of gossip to take with them).

"You think I'm hot!" Rikku grinned, pleased with her new realization.

Gippal sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Look kid, you're not—...you're not a _kid _anymore. And you've _obviously _gone through a period of change where—"

"Oh god, do _not _talk to me about puberty!" Rikku covered her ears and started singing loudly.

He pulled her arms down and held her wrists. "You're an _attractive _lady. And when you hardly wear any clothes—"

"_I'm wearing plenty of clothes."_

"That scarf has more cloth in it than what is on the rest of your body."

She spluttered like a fish. "I—you—_butthead_..."

Gippal rolled his eyes and continued talking like the conversation had never taken a side trip."I also don't see how this outfit is very practical."

She 'psh'ed and said, "Oh please. I fight fiends in this dressphere all the time."

Gippal processed her statement for a second. He didn't understand how she was capable of an effective attack in her choice of clothing, but opted to ask another question that wouldn't get him hit. "Dressphere?"

Rikku visibly brightened and nodded vigorously. "Yep! A dressphere is a certain outfit that I can change into that gives me specific weapons and abilities! And there are a lot of different dresspheres that Yunie, Paine and I have collected when we were on our last adventure! They're really cool! I get all glowy and I kind of _transform _into one that I choose. And they're all interchangeable on these things called garment grids that Shinra made for us! The one I'm wearing now is called the Thief dressphere, and I'm especially good in this one."

Gippal's grip had slackened on her wrists, trying to process her _changing clothes in front of the whole damn world_, so she took the opportunity to reach into one of her pouches and pull out a small brown device with several different colored, shining spheres that seemed to have symbols on them.

He glanced up at her, then back at the device in her outstretched palm. Rikku's grin widened.

Gippal narrowed his eyes. So. _Shinra _was responsible for her lack of clothing...

He shuddered as a new thought formed. There seemed to be at least fourteen other spheres, and if this one was so..._suggestive_, then who knew what the others would look like?

"Isn't it awesome-tastic?"

He looked up at her with a plain expression. "I think I'm going to murder Shinra."

Rikku paled. "What? Why?"

"He's responsible for you prancing around in a bikini."

She looked appalled and then gestured to her outfit. "This is _not _a bikini!"

"Oh, yes it—" Gippal froze mid-sentence. Because of her gesture, he had the time to fully take in her outfit (and her fantastic, curvy, _womanly_ figure...). And he noticed something...disturbing.

The straps on her hips that stuck out from under her skirt were definitely NOT from a bikini...

Gippal opened and closed his mouth, gasping for breath. His right hand clutched at his chest. Rikku raised an eyebrow at him.

"Are you having an episode or something?"

"You...you...you're..."

"Yes...?"

"You're wearing a THONG!"

Instead of the embarrassment he assumed she would feel, she grinned, absolutely _overjoyed _that he took notice of her choice of underwear.

"I know! Isn't it awesome!" She tugged on the strap for good measure.

Gippal thought he was having a stroke. "You...You are NOT allowed to show your PROVOCATIVE UNDERWEAR to every freaking man in Spira!"

She pursed her lips and actually asked, "Why not? It's not hurting anyone."

"It's hurting me! I'm your boyfriend! I'm the only one allowed to see that!"

Now Rikku did blush. "...Did you just say...?"

He didn't even take notice of what he'd said. He was still ranting about indecency and property and something about Sin spawns.

"Gippal...if it makes you feel better...I'll change into a new outfit."

He paused and looked at her. She was smiling shyly and playing with her fingers and looking every bit like the cute girl that he always knew her to be. He smiled back at her before nodding and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, leading her back towards Djose temple.

"...Hey, Gippal?"

"Hm?"

"...Do you really think I'm hot?"

"...Uhm..."

She pulled her set of daggers out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground.

XXX

**Okay! So, this is a multi-chapter story, and it covers all fifteen dresspheres and Gippal's reactions to all of them...let the games begin...**


	2. Gunner

**Title: **Quick Change

**Pairing: **Gippal and Rikku

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Final Fantasy X-2.

**Dressphere: **Gunner

…

The gunshot flew right past his ear, shattering a light fixture.

Gippal stayed frozen, blinking his good eye at the shooter.

Rikku loaded another ammo cartridge into her gun, not paying any mind to the various machina that she broke during her _target practice_.

"What," Gippal began. "Are you doing?"

Rikku grinned, closing one eye as she aimed at one of the statues that lined the temple walls.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Destroying my property."

She snorted. "This is the _lightning temple_, Gippal. As in, sacred place for worship of Yevon? You can't _own _religion."

He rolled his eye, slowly moving so that he was a good distance behind her and out of range.

"I can when religion decides to move out."

She gave a short laugh. She pulled the trigger and the bullet shot out with a loud clap. It bounced off of the statue, ricocheting off of the floor and into Rikku's boot-covered shin.

She fell over with a rather unnecessary scream.

"Son of a biscuit eater!"

Gippal ignored her creative attempt at swearing and rushed over, kneeling down beside her.

"You okay?"

Rikku groaned dramatically, throwing a hand over her forehead while clutching her shin with the other.

"I've been hit. We may have to amputate."

He raised an eyebrow and looked toward the area of interest. He reached down, plucking the still-warm bullet out of the dense leather.

He was going to disprove her fears and tell her how childish she was being, but an idea popped into his spiky head.

"Yeah, it sure looks that way."

"...Wait, WHAT?"

She sat up straight, clawing at her boot. Once it was off, she saw nothing more than a light colored bruise in the place where she was struck.

"...That wasn't very nice."

"Neither was shooting all of my work."

Rikku rolled her eyes as she pulled her shoe back on. "That would insinuate that you actually _do _something around here besides boss everyone else around."

Gippal didn't rise to the bate. "I'm impressed that you knew what the word 'insinuate' means and used it properly in a sentence."

He quickly snatched her gun up before she could make a dive for it and blow his head off. Although, with her aim, he probably would've been safe regardless.

"Give it back!"

"No. It's not safe to use a gun indoors, especially when you don't know how to use it."

"I DO TOO KNOW HOW TO USE IT YOU BUTTHEAD!"

"Then why did you shoot yourself?"

She sputtered.

"I didn't—you—I—_meanie_."

He shook his head, taking the ammo out of the weapon before tossing it back to her.

"Just take it outside and practice. And at least learn how to switch the safety on."

"...The what?"

He had to resist the urge to slap his forehead. "_The safety_. It's the switch on the gun that will keep it from accidentally firing when you're not using it."

"Oh...I always wondered what that thing was for."

Gippal sighed. He looked at her and noticed something familiar about her clothing and weaponry.

"Doesn't Yuna use guns?"

Rikku nodded, digging through her pouches for another cartridge of ammo. "Yeah, this is the gunner dressphere. It's her favorite one, plus she's really good at it."

Gippal's eyes narrowed. Oh yes, the _dresspheres_. He still needed to have _words _with Shinra.

He once again took in Rikku's appearance. The shorts were a little short for his liking, but at least you couldn't see her—he shuddered—_thong_.

"Right...well, you're not. So take it outside."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Fine, fine. Baby..."

She whipped out another gun, similar to the first, and held one in each hand. She stomped determinedly towards the door.

Gippal stared.

Dear, merciful Yevon. She had two.

This could not end well.

…

"_Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"_

Gippal sat up quickly, banging his head on the hover's undercarriage.

He groaned, rolling out from underneath the vehicle while rubbing his throbbing forehead.

He turned in the direction of the bloodcurdling scream and saw...no one.

Every single one of his workers were peeking out from behind some form of shelter, staring in horror towards the middle of the large workspace.

Gippal followed the target of everyone's gaze.

Rikku.

She had both of her guns raised in front of her menacingly.

Yep. He was right. This wasn't ending well at all.

He heard the audible _click _as she released the safety on both guns and jumped to his feet.

Apparently teaching her about the safety did nothing to improve his or his employee's chances at survival.

He dashed towards her, catching sight of her fingers curling over the triggers.

"Rikku, don't!"

Her head turned towards him. And so did the guns. With no safety on to prevent the shots.

_Clapclap_.

…

"Gippal, I am _so sorry _that I shot you."

Gippal twitched.

"I mean, technically I didn't hurt you or anything, but _still—_"

"Save it, kid."

He could only stare at his reflection in the mirror.

Lucky for him, he was in the Crimson Squad and had extensive knowledge of safety precautions and firearms (being an Al Bhed didn't hurt either).

Unfortunately, he was up against a force of nature—also known as _Rikku—_and had no chance of coming away from this unscathed.

"I'm sure it'll grow back in no time!"

He touched the strange looking hole in the top of his hair-do, then ran his fingers over the strange, jagged cut in the side of his hair. He now had two bald patches and some black hair.

He turned towards the frightened teen.

"Actually, it's not half bad. I mean, you already make the sissy purple clothing work, so this should be no problem for a fashion genius such as yourself—"

"_Rikku_."

She knew she was in big trouble now. He only ever used her name when he was completely and utterly serious. Unfortunately, this was usually when he was mad at her.

"Okay, I know you're mad, but you _did _tell me to practice outside, and I _was _outside..."

"You don't know how to safely use this kind of weaponry—"

"Which is why I was practicing."

"You endangered my employees—"

"To be fair, I _did _warn them ahead of time."

"You endangered _me—"_

"And again, I am _deeply sorry—"_

"And you endangered yourself." Gippal's voice raised, effectively cutting off Rikku's interruptions and causing her to shrink back into her seat.

"I was just trying to get better at shooting a gun...Yunie and Paine are both really good with the gunner dressphere...well, maybe not Paine. But definitely Yunie!"

She looked down at her feet, shoulders falling dejectedly.

"I really am sorry...I didn't mean to hurt you..."

She sniffed and Gippal sighed, his anger ebbing away into irritation. Because _ugh _she was going to cry and he hated seeing her cry let alone _making _her cry.

He picked up one of the weapons off of the table, tapping the barrel against his palm.

"...If you want, I can show you how to use it."

Rikku looked up at him, blinking back her tears. "What...?"

He looked off to the side, muttering, "I build machina for a living and I know how to use a gun so...if you really want to get better at this, then I think I should teach you. You know...so that you don't hurt anymore people."

Rikku grinned, ignoring his slight snub at her. She bounced up out of her seat and stood on her toes to kiss Gippal's cheek.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou! This will be so great!"

He rubbed his cheek, willing away the blood that was rising to his skin.

"Great for who?"

Again, she ignored his banter. "Awesomeriffic! I'm going to be so much more badassery after I can shoot stuff! Well, you know, without making people bald."

She smothered her giggle when Gippal glared at her.

"You know what? Maybe I won't teach you."

"What? No! C'mon, Gippal, I was just teasing!"

He gave her a wry look. "Maybe you should go back to shooting yourself. At least you were good at _that_."

Gippal dove to the ground when Rikku picked up her other gun and attempted to rid him of his good eye.


	3. Gun Mage

**Title: **Quick Change

**Pairing:** Rikku and Gippal

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy X-2

**Dressphere: **Gun Mage

…

"Seriously? _Seriously_?"

Rikku fiddled with the contraption in her hands.

"What?"

"Didn't we _just go through this_?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Gippal ground his teeth together.

Rikku ignored his obvious irritation.

Gippal considered himself to be a patient man. After all, he accepted Rikku into his work force knowing full well just how much of a handful she sometimes was (read: _always was_). He even recently offered to teach her how to safely use firearms. Much like the one she now held in her hands.

Except not really.

Because. Well.

"Rikku, _what _do you have in your hand?"

She pulled something out of her pouch and loaded it into the device in question. Which only frustrated him more.

_Because he didn't know what it was_.

Seriously! He was _Gippal_. He singlehandedly ran Spira's largest machine faction. He was an Al Bhed. He was a member of the Crimson Squad, and a damn good one at that.

Gunpowder practically ran in his blood.

And of course _Rikku _of all people came along with the one particular gun that he didn't know how to use.

He wondered if the universe was out to get him.

When Rikku only continued to ignore him he decided to take evasive action.

He pulled the weapon out of her fingers and held it above his head.

"Hey! Give me back my gun!"

"So it _is_ a gun?"

She scoffed. "_Of course_ it is. It has a trigger and ammo and everything! What did you _think _it—"

Rikku suddenly had a lightning strike of intellect.

A cruel grin seeped onto her face.

"Oh...I see."

Gippal pretended not to notice her, inspecting the gun instead.

She folded her arms and popped her hip out, posing in her superior I-know-something-you-don't-know fashion.

"You, the great Gippal, do not know how to use a gun."

He scoffed. "I know how to use a gun, kid. _This _is no gun."

"Yeah it is! You can even use this special ammo with it to learn attacks from your enemies and then use it against them."

Gippal blinked at her.

"_What_?"

Rikku took the opportunity to snatch the weapon out of his now lowered arm. She jumped back gracefully when he made a lunge for it.

"What is it with you and stealing my stuff?"

"Did you of all people seriously just ask me that?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. When he took a menacing step towards her she raised the gun in defense.

Gippal instantly froze.

His hair _just _grew back and he didn't want a repeat performance. Or worse.

"I just want to see it—"

"Nuh uh. Paws off."

He sighed, raising his hands in surrender.

"Come on, Cid's girl. I just want to—"

"Disengage _now_."

"...What?"

She poised her finger over the trigger.

"I said _disengage_."

They stared at each other for all of a minute before Gippal made a split decision and tackled her, grabbing her around the legs.

Rikku screamed bloody murder, her gun misfiring and shooting a long stream of flames towards the ceiling.

Gippal experienced actual fear for his life. He honed his warrior instinct and ripped it from her hands while she was off guard. He was on his feet and sprinting towards the door in the next second.

Her screams echoed behind him as he launched himself down the steps.

"COME BACK HERE YOU FREAKY CYCLOPS!"

…

Gippal stared at Rikku's gun.

He had managed to get far enough away before she came running after him, giving him time to hide. Once he was sure that she was off of his trail, he came back to the workshop and laid the weapon out on an empty workbench.

So. This thing could shoot flames at his head. _Lovely_.

What was that thing she said about learning an enemy's abilities?

He picked up the weapon of mass destruction, holding it gingerly less he accidentally misfire and bring the whole work area down in flames.

Which was just _ridiculous_.

Gippal was supposed to be the one that knew about this kind of stuff, not Rikku. He was the one that was currently teaching her how to use a gun properly. And he didn't believe that for one second she would know how to use _this _strange gun better than he could.

(Although, her being able to _identify _it as a gun while he couldn't wasn't exactly reassuring.)

There was only one thing to do.

He fished his tool box out from under the bench.

He would have to take the gun apart in order to unlock it's mysteries.

"GIPPAL!"

His head snapped up just in time to see Rikku slam into him full force.

He groaned and glared up at her.

She had him on his back with his wrists pinned beside his head and her legs straddling his waist. Her eyes were narrowed. Her nostrils flared with fury.

"You stole my gun and then you were going to _break it_?"

Gippal had to fight the urge to snort. "Please, like I would actually break it."

"You don't know how it works! You would've broken it for sure! And I know I'm a super awesome mechanic and Al Bhed and stuff, but really. If _you _screwed it up there might not be any hope for it."

He rolled them over so that he was on top of her.

"I'm not incompetent like some people—"

"Was that a slam towards me?"

"So I wouldn't have broken your toy. It's really not all that complicated, kid."

She raised an eyebrow, looking much too smug and all-knowing for his liking. "If you knew how it worked, then why were you going to take it apart?"

"...You know what? Why am I even explaining myself to you?"

He was surprised to find himself on his back once again. Since when was Rikku able to do that?

She stared him down with her most serious face. And not her I'm-trying-to-look-serious-so-that-you'll-let-me-do-this face. This was her _serious _serious face.

"Why can't you just admit that I know something that you don't?"

He probably would have pouted if he wasn't Gippal. "You _don't _know something that I don't."

"Yuh-huh! I know how to use this gun and you don't! You didn't even know that it _was _a gun!"

He moved to push her off of him but she held him down. Which only added to his annoyance.

"Move Rikku."

"Not until you admit it."

"Admit _what_?"

"That I may just be good at something that you're not!"

Gippal growled. "No! Because you're not good at it!"

He expected her to puff out her chest and rise up to argue back at him like she always did.

She didn't.

Rikku stared at him with her lips pressed tightly together and an uncharacteristically blank look in her eyes.

She moved slowly, lifting herself off of him. She picked the gun up off of the table and exited the workshop. She didn't say a word. She didn't even look at him.

Gippal sat up and cursed loudly.

She was _pissed_.

…

He found Rikku a little ways down Mushroom Rock road.

She had the strange looking gun clasped tightly it her hand. He watched as she loaded in a new ammo cartridge with ease and aimed it at a stalagmite. She pulled the trigger once and sent a flurry of needles though it. It crashed to the ground in pieces.

Gippal flinched. He recognized the attack. A cactuar used it on him once as a kid.

He suddenly questioned whether or not he would be able to make it out of this encounter with his head still on his shoulders.

He took a hesitant step forward and cleared his throat.

Rikku's shoulders tensed. She knew exactly who was there without turning to face him.

Gippal rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"Look...I'm sorry I said that you weren't good at shooting a gun."

She loaded a blue colored bullet and took aim again.

He sighed. "Hey, I said—"

"That's not why I'm mad at you, idiot."

He bit back a retort. She was insulting him, which was better than not saying anything at all.

"Okay...so, why are you mad at me?"

Rikku whipped around to face him and it almost pained him to see the dry tears on her cheeks.

"You wouldn't just suck up your stupid pride and admit that I was finally better at something than you were!"

Gippal looked down at his feet and kicked a rock.

"My pride isn't stupid..."

She threw her hands up in the air, turning away from him again.

He frowned and gripped her shoulder.

"Fine, I'm sorry okay?"

Her shoulders fell and she looked at him tiredly.

"Why couldn't you just admit that I'm better at something than you are?" She stared down at her boots. "When we were kids, you were always the one that had it together. You knew how to do everything and you were always so _good _at it. You always had to show me how to do everything." She laughed without humor. "You even had to show me how to use my own gunner dressphere."

Gippal sighed. She wasn't really mad at him. She was just tired of feeling inferior.

He thought, dryly, that he could relate.

He contemplated for a moment, briefly lamented the loss of his man card, and then said, "You grew up without me, Rikku."

When all she did was stare at him in confusion he blew out a frustrated breath.

"I liked being the one that always showed you how to do stuff." He threw a hand out, randomly gesturing at nothing. "Then when I joined the Crimson Squad to defeat Sin, you ran off and took care of it yourself. And then you did it again with Vegnegun."

A look of understanding came onto her face. Gippal ran his fingers through his hair.

"You...you got stronger. And you didn't need my help. And you've always needed my help."

He felt her touch his cheek, forcing him to meet her gaze. She gave him one of her big smiles that only Rikku could give.

"You're such a _boy _sometimes."

And she hugged him. She squeezed her arms around his midsection and pressed her cheek against his chest. Gippal slowly brought his arms around her shoulders.

"I'm always going to need you, Gippal. I'm just not a kid anymore, that's all."

A feeling of relief washed over him. He scoffed.

"That doesn't explain why you act like a five-year-old all the time."

"Shut up, we're having a moment."


	4. Warrior

**Title: **Quick Change

**Pairing: **Rikku and Gippal

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Final Fantasy X-2.

**Dressphere: **Warrior

…

Gippal signed the last of his paperwork with a flourish. He tossed the pen on the table, leaning back in his desk chair, legs propped up on his desk and his hands folded behind his head.

For once, everything was in order. All of the week's deadlines had been met, his workers were in good health with little complaints (_that_, he mused, was a miracle in itself), and he had just completed what had seemed like a never-ending pile of legal paperwork.

Yes. Life was good for young, dedicated faction own—

"Gippal!"

One of Gippal's employees—his name escaped him—burst through the office door, sweat pooling down his face and his body heaving with a need for air.

Gippal raised his eyebrow.

"Sir, there's a Gucumatz outbreak. They're all over the place!"

Gippal sighed.

Nevermind. Life sucked.

…

Gippal shoved the temple doors open and was met with the sight of his faction overrun with fiends.

One of his employees ran past him, a girlish scream peeling from the man's lips as his arms flailed.

He slapped his forehead.

It was amazing some of these men were in fact _men_.

"Sir!" The one who had burst into his office was standing beside him. "What should we do?"

Gippal rolled his eyes. His workers may be highly trained when it comes to dealing with Machina and other machinations, but they knew absolutely nothing about combat.

He scanned the area, gauging the threat. There were maybe ten Gucumatzs in the faction, not especially hard for someone like Gippal to deal with. But they were one of the bigger species of fiends and they were able to use paralysis, which made them a bigger danger.

He pulled his gun up and out of it's holster, taking aim at the nearest one.

He was going to be on his own with this one. If he was quick—

The fiend in his cross-hairs suddenly let out a loud shriek before dropping to the dirt, a long sword protruding from his back.

"Down you go!"

Gippal turned to see Rikku, pumping her fist and racing towards the dead fiend.

To his surprise she heaved the sword out of the carcass one-handed, turning to face her next foe.

He blinked, watching as she hacked up another Gucumatz effortlessly.

Didn't she have some sort of firearms? Or was that all just one long (deadly) nightmare?

Now, Rikku was racing from one threat to another, expertly slicing her blade through Gucumatz flesh like she had been doing it all her life.

Gippal quickly shook his head before racing out towards a fiend that was approaching her from behind. He took aim and dropped it in one shot.

Rikku spun around when she heard the gun fire and saw him running towards the action. She grinned at him.

"Nice of you to show up!"

He stopped in front of her, jaw slightly slack.

For the first time since she got there, Rikku was actually fully clothed (save for a small portion of her chest, but considering the amount of skin she usually showed he could live with it).

She playfully socked his shoulder with her gloved fist before charging past him at another monster.

He followed suit, the two of them easily picking off the last few fiends.

As Gippal counted the number of bodies, the workers came rushing out of their hiding places (wimps), some clapping him on the back for a job well done.

He turned to Rikku who was fist bumping one of the workers, her blade hefted up onto her shoulder.

He found his good eye roving her form.

What the normally barely-dressed girl donned now could only be referred to as armor.

She was covered in sturdy, protective leather with all sorts of buckles and straps. Her sword shimmered purple and blue and looked deadly with it's sharp, angular design.

He watched as she swung it about as if it weighed nothing, brandishing it like a true warrior.

He couldn't help but stare at her retreating form as she walked up the steps and into the temple.

…

Rikku rolled her shoulders, climbing the stone steps slowly. Her sword dragged on the steps as she walked, making a grating sound that made some of the nearby workers wince.

She groaned. It had been way too long since she'd fought in a battle like that and her muscles were protesting heartily.

This was probably one of the few things she missed about being on a life threatening journey (besides the wonderful people she got to spend those journeys with).

Rikku loved the thrill of a fight, especially when she was using a dressphere as powerful as Paine's most favored one.

She kicked the door of her room open, spearing her sword into the floor near the entrance. She knew Gippal would probably scold her and twitch about her damaging property later, but she didn't particularly care. One of the fun things about her new job was irritating him.

She turned as she was unstrapping her gloves and caught him standing in her doorway.

She smiled. "Hey there, partner! Thanks for helping me with those fiends."

He scoffed, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against the door frame. "I should probably thank you. You're my only employee that wasn't running around like a Chocobo with it's head chopped off."

Rikku laughed. "Yeah, did you see the one that was trying to climb on top of the shop roof?"

"Mhm."

"And then that other guy tried to use him as a ladder to get up there too? They both wound up losing their pants!"

"Yep."

"And then they wound up falling into that puddle of engine grease! You should have seen them trying to shake it out of their underwear."

"Uh huh."

Rikku glanced over at him with narrowed eyes. She knew that tone. It was the one he used when he thought she was talking too much and was really just ignoring her.

She opened her mouth, ready to throw out a scathing content when she noticed him staring at her.

Like..._staring _at her.

She raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah...and I've decided to become a Yevonite."

"Mhm."

"And my first order of duty is to ride a Chocobo naked down the Mi'hen Highroad."

"Sure."

"So I'm going to need an advance on my salary so that I can start my new life as a religious hooker."

"Yeah."

She couldn't take it anymore. She burst into fits of laughter, effectively snapping Gippal out of his daze.

"What's so funny, kid?"

"_You_. You haven't heard a word I said!And the look on your face. God, I didn't know you were so _kinky_."

_That _got him.

"Wait, what?"

Rikku grinned. "Don't even try to deny it. You've been staring at me like a piece of meat for the past five minutes. And I totally saw you checking me out when we were cleaning up Gucumatz guts!"

Gippal glared at her. His gaze only intensified when he saw how much it was amusing her.

No doubt his heated face was lessening the effect of his threat.

"Wow, Gippal. I never knew you were such a pervert."

His jaw tightened.

Please, who did she think she was? It's not like she was actually sexy or anything. She was _Cid's girl _for crying out loud! Just because she wore some tight leather, and knew how to use a sword, and had that plunging neckline that showed that tan skin—

His shoulders fell.

Well damn.

Rikku folded her arms across her chest smugly, further accenting her figure.

"I never would have expected this from you, Gippal. You think you know a guy."

His eye twitched.

"What I don't understand is that you've done nothing but complain about my fashion choices since I got here—choices that have way less clothing than I'm wearing now but are TASTEFUL AND NOT REVEALING YOU BUTTMUNCH—and now I put on some leather armor and throw my sword around and you—mph!"

Gippal pressed his lips firmly against hers, arms pressing her into the wall.

Rikku was pretty sure she had whiplash.

"Gippal, what are you..."

Her words died off when his mouth pressed against her throat, assaulting it with kisses. One of his arms was wrapped around her waist, pressing her against him. His other hand, she realized, had found the zipper near her chest.

Rikku could feel her whole face burst into flames. She gripped his sleeves, feeling powerless. This was one battle that she had never been in.

When he lifted his head and she saw the look on his face, she couldn't help but shudder and pray that no one passed by her open door.

His hands cupped her face. Rikku didn't know what to do.

She had known Gippal her entire life. She knew him better than anyone else, even Yunie, and he knew her just as well if not better. They argued, they teased each other, they always had each others backs. And sure, she wasn't blind, she _knew _there had always been a sort of _thing _between them, but nothing had ever really progressed beyond casual flirting—

A surprised gasp escaped her when she found herself suddenly lifted into the air, her face now level with his.

Her eyelids lowered as his mouth approached hers, her fingers finding their way into his hair (which was only so soft because she caught him stealing her shampoo this morning).

"Rikku..."

"Uh, sir?"

Rikku screamed as she was suddenly dropped onto the floor.

Gippal spun around, nostrils flared and his ears burning red.

The man in the doorway glanced between the two of them before realizing that this was only adding to his boss' evident anger.

"Uh...these forms need your verification...you know what? I'll just go put them in your office."

It was a miracle that Gippal didn't chase him down. Then again, he was a little more concerned with the woman on the floor behind him.

His shoulders tensed. He took a steadying breath and turned himself to face her.

Rikku slowly picked herself up, looking down to inspect herself so that he couldn't see her face.

He didn't know what would make her angrier. The fact that he dropped her or that he had just made a _very suggestive _advance on her.

"Uh...look kid, if you want I'll just—"

He didn't get to finish his sentence before her mouth crushed his and her fingers ripped the buttons apart on his shirt.

…

Gippal waltzed into his office and fell into his chair with an easy grace.

He kicked his feet up and ignored the way his pants appeared rumpled.

Life was pretty darn swe—

His door burst open for the second time that day. The man from before stood there, a stack of papers folded under his arm. His lips were tight like they were holding in laughter.

"Here, boss. These need to be done before the end of the week."

Gippal's eyes narrowed at the obvious amusement in his voice.

The man darted out before the interrogation started.

Gippal caught his reflection in the window and groaned.

He bent over his desk, scribbling furiously as he wiped away the lip stains on his face.

Nope. Life still sucked.


	5. Alchemist

**Title: **Quick Change

**Pairing: **Rikku and Gippal

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Final Fantasy X-2.

**Dressphere: **Alchemist

…

Rikku walked down the bridge approaching Djose with a grin on her face.

People stared at her as she passed, taking in her heavy garb and the gun in her grip. They were no doubt having flash backs of her previous explorations in fire arms. A few even ducked for cover as she passed but Rikku paid them no mind.

Next to the Thief, Rikku was most comfortable in the Alchemist dressphere. It brought her back to the days of Yuna's pilgrimage—minus the sad parts that made her want to go sob in a dark corner—when she was known for mixing up devious concoctions to blow up fiends with. Not to mention it totally reflected her Al Bhed heritage, which she was extremely proud of thankyouverymuch.

And then there was her newest discovery that made her like it even more—

She grinned when she saw Gippal come out of the temple, staring down at a clipboard.

It appeared the famed machine faction owner had a thing for battle gear (which only partially disturbed her).

She hefted the gun up onto her shoulder and slowly sauntered towards him.

And then promptly tripped.

"...Cid's Girl?"

Rikku quickly picked herself up, muttered an apology to the unfortunately misplaced turtle that had been in her path and resumed her haughty stance.

"S'up?"

Gippal stared at her blankly.

"You're about as smooth as sandpaper."

"...Your _mother_."

He rolled his eye, looking back down at his clipboard. And that was it.

Which was so not cool.

Rikku stood there expectantly until he looked back up at her.

"...Did you need something?"

Rikku puffed out her cheeks in annoyance before turning and stomping off.

"Hey, kid!"

She spun around, her chest tight with hope—

"Do me a favor and keep that gun away from the other guys. Some of them are still in therapy from the last time."

She chucked the gun at his head.

…

Alright, so he didn't claw at her clothes or fall to his knees or stare at her in worship. Or do anything _at all._

But this time Rikku had a plan. And this time it would be executed with grace and aloofness.

She hopped up onto his desk, shifting it and causing several files to slide off and scatter onto the floor.

Gippal stared at the papers before pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Counting."

She rolled her eyes. "So anyway, I think we should go to Kilika for lunch—"

"Can't. I have to work through lunch today."

Rikku looked like he had just made a scathing comment about her weight.

"What? But we always have lunch together!"

"Yeah well, I need to get this work done before tomorrow. And now that _someone _mixed up the files it'll probably take me the rest of the night to finish."

Rikku glanced guiltily at the paper strewn across the floor. She hefted herself off of the desk only to have it shift again. This time Gippal's desk lamp paid the price.

She smiled sheepishly.

He pointed wordlessly at the door. For once, Rikku took the hint.

…

So, at the end of the day every plan in the alphabet was a bust. Literally.

Rikku peeked out from behind a wall, peering into one of the factions many workshops.

Gippal was talking to a man about some Machina that was on the work bench. It was actually a really bad design, in Rikku's humble opinion, but she was _not _going to be the one telling Gippal about that.

Now, all she had to do was casually walk into the workshop, feign some trouble with her zipper, sway like the perfect damsel in distress—

"Hey, look out!"

She turned just in time to be knocked onto her butt.

Rikku groaned, covered in engine grease and whatever bacteria was in the mud puddle she was sprawled in (because _of course _they worked at the lightning temple and it had to rain every hour _on the hour_).

She turned her glare to a man in some dirty overalls who was holding one end of a rather large beam.

He opened his mouth for an apology but stopped when she gave him the stink eye. He didn't look very shaken by it.

"Hey kid, are you okay?"

She looked up to see Gippal staring at her with scrunched eyebrows.

She didn't know why but she found herself blushing and unable to utter a response. This certainly wasn't the first time she'd done something klutzy and stupid, especially in front of her best friend.

Gippal extended a hand to help her up.

"Jeeze kid. What am I always telling you about _safety_?"

And that was about all she could take.

She fisted a pile of mud and hurled it right into his face.

It took about a minute for everyone in the nearby vicinity to make themselves scarce. It took another minute longer for Gippal to stiffly wipe the grime from his face and fix Rikku with a nasty look.

"Rikku, what the hell?"

She stood, ignoring the muck sliding off of her as well as Gippal.

"Rikku, what the hell is your problem?"

She whirled on him. "What's myproblem? What's _your _problem?"

"Right now it's you!"

She gave his chest a hard shove, making him take a step back. "Yeah, well you're my problem!"

"I didn't even do anything to you!"

"Exactly!"

Rikku turned and hightailed it into the temple before he could ask her what she meant.

…

Rikku frowned at the mud that she poured out of her boot. She thought about maybe making up some elaborate story that she could tell Shinra so that he would clean the garment for her rather than having to do it herself. Or maybe Yuna. She was so nice that she wouldn't recognize the hoax for what it was.

She was just exploring the idea of fooling Paine when she heard a knock on her open door.

She made a face. "What do _you_ want?"

Gippal rolled his eyes and ignored her tone.

"Look, whatever your problem is it's not going to get fixed if we're both mad. Even though I have more of a right to be angry than you do, I'm willing to be the bigger person on this."

Rikku scoffed. "I have every right to be mad."

"Oh, yeah, because it was your work that suffered, your lamp that got broken, you that got a ball of dirt and an _armed weapon_ thrown at you, and you that almost got set on fire."

Okay, so plan T had kind of been poorly thought out.

Rikku threw her boot onto the floor indignantly.

"And it was _you _that ignored me all day."

"What are you talking about? I tried to help you back there and you threw a hissy fit."

"I'm not just talking about that you idiot! AND I DO NOT THROW HISSY FITS!"

Gippal groaned and wiggled his pinky in his ear. "Then what do you mean?"

Rikku threw her hands up in the air and began pacing.

"You molested me the other day because I had a big ass sword and all of my cool armor on and today I wore all of this stuff and even had another bigger gun with me and you didn't even look at me! I mean come on! If a sword revs your engine then a gun should logically push you over the edge! Not that I've been calculating this stuff, but you get the idea!"

Gippal's jaw was slack and his cheeks were tinted pink.

"...I did _not _molest you."

"..._THAT'S _WHAT YOU TOOK FROM MY RANT!?"

He had to actively avoid several household items being launched at him as he came closer to her. When she was stalled trying to yank a light fixture off of the wall he grabbed her and hoisted her off the floor, pinning her arms with his. He held her in place as she kicked her feet.

"Put me down you gorilla!"

"No. You'll just throw stuff at me."

"Well if you weren't such a pansy and could take a hit!"

It was amazing that Gippal hadn't developed a tick yet.

"Look, what...happened a few days ago was different. It had nothing to do with your outfit."

That got her. "Wait, what?"

He set her down but didn't release her, still unsure if her temper had subsided from the need to hurt him.

"I saw you fighting and you really looked like you knew what you were doing."

"Tch, _of course _I knew what I was doing. I'm me."

He let out a frustrated sigh. "You looked strong. That's what made me...yeah. So don't get into a rage just because I don't tell you that I like your shoulder pads or whatever you're wearing."

His grip had slackened enough for her to turn and whack him upside the head.

"Are you kidding? I'm an Alchemist! I'm dressed like every Al Bhed person you've ever seen _ever_!"

Gippal rubbed his head.

"Yeah, well it doesn't suit you."

"...That is the biggest load of Shoopuf crap that I've ever heard!"

He caught her hand before she could smack him again. She frowned at him.

"I _am _an Al Bhed you know. And so are you. And so are everyone that works for you."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but you're the only one that never looks like an Al Bhed."

Rikku pouted, feeling a little offended at being told that she didn't look like the person that she _was—_

Gippal ruffled her hair before she could start angsting.

"I like that about you, kid."

Rikku smiled and stood up as straight as she could.

"Right...so, you don't have a problem with my outfit?"

Gippal snorted at her short attention span and headed for the door.

"As long as you're not showing your goods to the staff, it's fine."

Rikku's face reddened, but then something occurred to her and a grin broke out on her face.

"...It wasn't my armor. It was me opening up a can of butt-kick."

Her evil, I'm-up-to-no-good tone made him stop and cringe.

"...You're going to start hitting me again, aren't you?"


End file.
